Marriage and Divorce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Marriage and Divorce - Essay Example This discussion takes an in-depth look at marriage and divorce including a brief historical assessment, statistics and trends regarding both marriage and divorce and the many varied factors that contribute to divorce. It also includes the story of a couple that are now happily married after both experienced divorce and input from two experts in the field who give advice on how to avoid actions and feelings that contribute to an unhappy marriage. The sanctioned ceremonial joining together of a man and woman can be found throughout all societies of the world and predates the written language, the use of sophisticated tools and expressions of art. However, this practice has taken on many forms in the long history of mankind (â€Å"History of Marriage†, n.d.). Ancient peoples formed societies because they found safety in numbers, the ‘pack mentality.’ Pairing-off into man-woman couples provides many advantages that are common to early and modern day people as well which includes the proliferation of bloodlines, a structured system that enhances the chances for successful reproduction and allowing for an orderly procedure in which to pass along property and other assets to family members. Marriage, in both early history and today, is the product of love and affection and, to roughly the same degree, a need for economic and social stability. The custom of wearing a wedding ring dates back to the days of Ancient Rome. Its round form was and is still believed to symbolize an eternal and never-ending union of two souls (â€Å"History of Marriage†, n.d.). Around the time of the fall of the Roman Empire, the practice of polygamy was officially prohibited and laws were enacted banning adulterous relationships as well as all other types of relationships that were considered inconsistent with a permanent, monogamous covenant. These